2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer vs 2022 Kia Carnival

With the all-new 2022 Carnival, Kia is trying something different. By blending crossover SUV design with sensational technology and genuine VIP passenger seating, Kia hopes the Carnival can carve a bigger slice of the small minivan pie.

Available in LX, LX+, EX, EX+, and SX trim levels, the 2022 Kia Carnival replaces the Kia Sedona in the automaker’s lineup. Carnival MSRP ranges from $34,795 to $48,595, not including the destination charge of $1,850.

Our SX test vehicle had extra-cost Storm Blue paint and accessory floor and cargo mats. Its pricing comes to $51,275, including destination charges (Canadian, estimated).

Few automotive nameplates have kept pace with changing market trends like the Chevrolet Trailblazer, which has taken on three very different forms over a relatively short time span.

The Trailblazer name first appeared in 1999 on an appearance package for the S-10 Blazer, a compact SUV derived from the Chevy S-10 pickup truck. Chevy then applied the Trailblazer nameplate to a midsize SUV sold during model years 2002 through 2009. While not based on a pickup truck, this Trailblazer had the hallmarks of an old-school SUV, including body-on-frame construction and available V8 power.

Today’s Chevy Trailblazer has nothing in common with those predecessors except a name. Introduced for the 2021 model year, this Trailblazer is a subcompact crossover with car-like unibody construction shared with the Buick Encore GX, and tiny, efficiency-focused engines. With the Chevy Trax on hiatus until the 2024 model year, the Trailblazer is Chevy’s entry-level SUV for 2023, competing with the likes of the Hyundai Kona and Kia Seltos.

The only changes for 2023 are some new extra-cost paint colours, including Nitro Yellow Metallic, Fountain Blue, and Sterling Gray Metallic, along with an Iridescent Pearl Tricoat roof. Trim levels start with the base LS, and continue with the LT, Activ, and RS. We tested a Chevrolet Trailblazer Activ for this review.